Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-31
NJ nadsoal psfIsrsncs.

- effort Is being made by few news
psplps Win Fse Tn1e psochvifies to
sh5t thaf II. Blainey 1arfs statemenf Of
tht 1hri6 tettiSs il netenflGely in accord
wfEshe 1E&iosnl Rernblicn platforn Of
- - III attesAps Il -crificisda 4 =
complete failure. The Democratic plat
form Of 1881 and the Cleveland and Carlisle
tariff views Of latest date demand a re-
ductiop Of the revenues utterly regardless
Of the American Protective system, re-
tanning part or al Of the internal taxes,
striking down the wool interests Of the
small farmers, and 80 reducing the duties
on cotton. wooden, and iron goods a.
largely to increase foreign importations
and to drive out home productions. The
Republican platform Of 1884. Mr.. Blaine's
speeches that year and in 1885 and his
Paris statement are all harmoniously In
line for the reduction Of the aggregate
revenues. Thus both the Democratic
leaders and the Republicans are in full
accord on the naked question Of reducing
the aggregate rerenaes. But the main ques-
ton, the real question, the only question
on the subject between Cleveland and his
supporters and Blaine and the RepubIi-
cans, Is hon, in Nhat manner, to bring
about the reform In taxation. Cleveland
and the Democratic leaders insist on a
purely revenue tariff, striking of the
duties on wool and iron, reducing that on
manufactured goods OF iron, steel, cotton
and wool, retaining as much az possible Of
the internal war taxes, so as to reduce as
much as possible the duties Oh foreign
importations. This il an insideous, con-
temptible, cowardly method Of pushing
Free Trade propagandism and serving
British interests, which the British press
Is lauding to the skies. The Republican
programme Of tariff reform and tax re-
duction is in exact accord with the Ameri-
can system Of Protection as advocated by
Henry Clay, William II. Seward, Horace
Greeley, and James G. Blaine. 1t seeks
to foster the growth Of American sheep.
the output Of American iron, the product
OF American steel, the prosperity Of our
vast manufactures, to retain and increase
American goods and American agricultur-
al products as much as possible, making
free imported articles which cannot be
produced in this country, greatly reducing
or entirely abolishing the internal taxes.
There Is a practical way Of tax reform
along the Republican line, leaving the
aggregate revenues only enough to pay
the necessary government expenses,
gradually extinguishing the National
Debt, and providing sufficiently for the
veterans who perilled life and limb to
save the government in its hour of terrible
danger.
The Republican system of Protection of
American labor isa complete machine.
Like splendid locomotive it may be i'm
proved In some of its minor details. But
1t must be done by a friendly hand. No
Free Trade icOnoclast, or theoretic crank,
should attempt to tinker or botch it.
MS -huttltutl tNOuoillt dIItIlRt-
ment, which has given the country such
remarkable growth and prosperity, will
be guarded and cared for by its friends
and ia to continue. The people under
stand its operations, and are not to be
humbugged by fine phrases. They fully
comprehend the radical difference between
the Republican platform, the language OF
MIR. Blaine, Mr.. Sherman, and their politi-
cal associates, and the Democratic plat
form as interpreted by Cleveland, Carlisle
and Wattcrson. The manifestos and pro-
grarnrpe Of the latter are but repetition
of the Polk and Dallas fraud Of 1874,
which resulted so disastrously to the
country.